


Pulled into the Depths

by Tikiroo



Category: League of Legends
Genre: Canon-Typical Violence, M/M, Nautilus is also mad but a lot more sane, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Pyke is grumpy, Rating May Change, Slow Burn, and really mad at everything
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:34:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23963956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tikiroo/pseuds/Tikiroo
Summary: He was watching the captain from the waters, waiting for the ship to make its way back to the docks. Despite the late hour, Pyke was sure his target was drunk enough to split off from his crew once he thought they were safe from the waters. While the ship was still far from shore, Pyke watched as it was demolished before his very eyes.Huh. He supposed he could still mark the name off the list.
Relationships: Pyke/Nautilus
Comments: 9
Kudos: 49





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> [Saltyfinalboss](https://saltyfinalboss.tumblr.com/) on tumblr has started an amazing ship that I thought was extremely deserving of a fic, so here I am. Their art is amazing, I really recommend checking them out!

It was nearly one in the morning. 

Pyke slowed himself as he drifted through the water, his glowing eyes the only source of light in the darkness of the water. It illuminated the parchment in from of him, allowing the names on the manifest to be mostly legible. Impatient, he re-read the name of his target for nearly the tenth time. ‘Dren Drowring’, a name he’d overheard as he’d lurked under the docs. They may have hidden this long, but it didn’t take him long to connect the overheard name to the man it belonged to.

Pyke was currently following the ship the man had boarded, Dren leading them through dangerous waters for the hope of immense riches. At some point in the ship’s voyage, the crew had begun questioning the lack of any kind of sea creature sightings. Upon their collection of golden riches from the depths, they had entirely disregarded their uneasy feelings. Unknown to them, the creatures of the sea had been actively avoiding the vessel. After all, there was a shark in the water.

Pyke had been trailing the ship for a while, the vessel having set sail around noon. With the way the sea creatures avoided him, it was hard to find entertainment. He listened absently to the drunken shanties sang above, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the faces of those onboard. His target was the captain of the crew, but it wasn’t unlikely for him to join in on the festivities. Realizing that he might tear the parchment of his list with how tightly he held it, he relaxed and read the name again. It wouldn’t do him well to forget the man’s name.

It wouldn’t be but another hour or two before the ship docked, and based on the joyous noises he heard on deck the captain was likely drunk enough to head off alone. The thought of cornering him in the dark filled Pyke with the raging heat of his bloodlust, eased only by chill of the waters he drifted through. He was not normally this patient with his kills, but to bring down the captain alone, to watch the terror as he recognized the face of the man he’d murdered? It would be worth the wait for him. It wouldn’t be long.

He finally rolled the list back up, peering up at the noisy deck once more and narrowing his eyes upon seeing the face of the man who had betrayed him so. He’d finally come on deck to enjoy his spoils.

It wouldn’t be long.

* * *

Pyke stilled at a sign of movement in the water, quickly realizing that the ruckus aboard the ship had quelled as well. Just as he went to look about for the source of the noise, an anchor ripped through the hull of the ship with the water-muted sound of wood tearing. Surprised, Pyke drifted backwards as sounds of fear and confusion rang out above the waves. 

The boat trembled dangerously as a figure pulled itself from the depths using the anchor, the feeling of the metal vibrating through the water much clearer than the splintering of wood. Once they were further up, they reeled the anchor back to themselves and started sinking back down. However, they didn’t go far before the anchor was thrown again, crashing through the weaker wood that made up the insides of the ship. The crew was screaming in terror, though only one of the yells stood out to Pyke.

_“You didn’t pay the tithe! You said you paid the tithe!”_

He remembered the tithe. A coin thrown into the waters, paying homage to the sea for good luck and safe travels. It was one of the most important things in his line of work while he was alive. The work was risky and lethal, and a single coin to settle superstitions could go a long way. He’d never sailed without being sure the tithe was paid. 

Though, he did remember there being more to paying the tithe than that. Old tales told by barkeeps to patrons of the ‘thing’ in the depths of the water. Those who didn’t pay the tithe would be risking more than harsh waters and angry sea serpents. Entire ships would be broken from underneath, crew members dragged into the freezing waters to drown. He remembers hearing people whisper the name of the titan in fear.

This was the Nautilus of legend. Interesting. 

People began diving off the ship in a rush to save themselves, but they wouldn’t survive long being this far from shore. Pyke decided against chasing the stragglers, focusing instead on the metal behemoth tearing through the ship of his target. It was mere moments before the entire thing was in two parts, nearly the entire crew in the water. 

Pyke slowly swam around, lurking in the dark waters like a predator stalking prey as he watched the last two screaming figures that held to the railings of the boat like a lifeline. One was audibly screaming at the other of some kind of betrayal, but Pyke didn’t listen more than that. He focused instead on the metal hand grabbing the captain, the man’s screams as Nautilus slid from his hold on the boat, his struggles to hold his breath as he slowly sunk into the water, held firmly in the metal hand of Nautilus. 

Pyke glanced to the other person on the boat, still screaming and looking around desperately for any way he could make it back to shore. If he didn’t fall in soon, Pyke would make his way over and drag the man into the waters. For now, though, he just watched Nautilus sink.

How intriguing. The fury inside of him was dim at the death of his target, but he didn’t feel any of the rush or satisfaction from his other kills. He wasn’t certain how he felt about that. 

He supposed he should cross the name off his list, though. He swam to the surface to do so, glancing at the panicked man who’d managed to make it to a higher point on the sinking ship. He doubted that he'd see Nautilus again any time soon. He did admit to himself, though, that his interest was piqued.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the first fanfic I’ve actually posted! Hooray! I have the next two chapters entirely planned out, as well as a general storyline for everything else.
> 
> I am, however, open to suggestions. Any character, any event, whatever, just say something in the comments!


	2. Distractions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pyke finds himself unable to focus after witnessing Nautilus destroy the ship. He forces himself to forget about it, and to continue his quest for vengeance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This update came a lot later than it was supposed to- I actually had rewritten it entirely because the flow felt really off at first. This is a lot better than what it used to be.

It’s been a few days- a week, maybe? He doesn’t keep track of time very well.  
Either way, some time had passed and he still had yet to see another sign of Nautilus being nearby. It made sense that if he’d never seen any hints of the titan’s existence until that previous day, why would he suddenly show up everywhere he went? 

It felt different, though. Pyke was never actively looking around for Nautilus until he’d watched the man sink an entire ship. Now that he was looking, it always felt like the titan was lurking just out of reach. Pyke had even swum to the seafloor to look for tracks on one occasion, hoping to see a shift in the sands that would suggest the dragging of an anchor. 

Alas, the only thing lurking in the depths were the creatures of the sea he had become so acquainted with. Sometimes it felt strange to watch them. Large and eerie leviathan creatures had been normal to him even before his betrayal, but to lurk alongside them the way he does almost felt ironic. Calling them monsters, yet blind to the true monsters he’d walked alongside for so long. He wondered what Nautilus thought. Would he agree? Pyke thought he would, but he didn’t know enough about him to be confident in the idea. 

He realized then that he truly knew little of Nautilus. He'd always payed the tithe, and that was that. The Titan was a legend many knew, and he'd never cared to listen to every different tale of how he came to be. He knew Nautilus was a terror of the depths who'd turned superstition into a rule. None who valued their life would disregard the tales of sunken ships and the titan of the sea, and that was how it was. He needed to know nothing else of Nautilus.

And yet, he was hunting the man. He knew so little about him, only vaguely aware of his legend and never interested in him until then. He’d been so distracted since his last hunt, he had spent nearly all of his time in the depths looking for something he might never see again. He should’ve been lurking around the docks and tracking down names, letting the waters guide him to where he might find his next kill. Yet, he’d done nothing but swim around, playing a one-sided version of hide-and-seek for a legend he knew little about. 

At that moment, he decided he should forget about it all. He had things to do, and while the event was intriguing, he needed to cross some names off a list. Hell, he didn’t even know what he planned to do once he found Nautilus. Ask him if he agreed with his opinions? What good motivation that is.

And yet...

Pyke growled to himself, but he was set on his decision. He’d spent too much time searching for someone who had nothing to offer him but the relief of his curiosity. It wasn’t worth it. He let the waters take him closer to Bilgewater, making a point to stop his thoughts from straying to the anchor-wielding legend. There was vengeance to be had.

* * *

The bay was lively. Pyke floats in the water between the architecture, deep enough that he wasn't likely to be noticed but close enough to the surface that he could still listen to the conversations on land. He didn't often prowl around in daylight, not out of fear of being caught, but simply because it was less noise to deal with. It was much easier to listen in on a conversation when it was the only source of sound to listen too. People tended to tell stories more often when it was dark as well, especially gossip. In a place like Bilgewater, having the wrong people hear the wrong things can cause much more trouble than it was worth.

He'd heard tales of pirates fighting over important supplies, innocent bystanders having their blood spilled for carrying a crate when they had no idea what it held inside. Entire ships raided after it was whispered that they held a stowaway or held prisoners that could potentially earn someone profit. Bilgewater was ruthless, and the information he needed was spoken only in hushed voices or lonely places. A tavern keeper whispering to a mercenary about a ruthless pirate who'd been terrorizing his patrons, a butcher growling to an acquaintance over a harpooner who'd come seemingly out of nowhere, a drunken man laughing to himself, thinking out loud about the 'respectable' captain who'd bought everyone drinks with money he probably didn't work for.

Pyke clenched his fist, running a hand over the hilt of his weapon. His mind back on track, he felt the burning fury wash over him. The names he'd heard, all the red ink slashed across the manifest. So much ink. Where'd he get all the ink? It didn't matter, he was certain he had enough of it to cross out the remaining names. That's all that mattered. He only had to find out where they were. Focusing on what he needed to do now to reach that goal, he listened. Often he would lurk near the Carving Bays or Slaughter Docks. He'd spent much time there himself while he was alive, and usually, his targets could be found there as well. However, with it being light outside, it was likely the ones he was searching for were either on a boat to work. Therefore, Pyke finds himself in a less familiar area.

The houses of Bilgewater were interesting. They were often stacked on top of each other, remade from old temples scaling the cliffs that made up the archipelago. There were old boats repurposed into living areas, scaffolding connecting each area to ease access for those who called the city their home. It was often crowded, and fights could be found easily with the shortage of space and the rough crowd that made up the population. There were bridges that passed between separated areas, high up enough for small boats to pass through the waterways below. Ropes and nets were a frequent sighting, sometimes ti was equipment that was laid out so that it could be moved later, sometimes placed specifically as decoration.

Pyke lowered himself deeper into the water as a boat passed through, a man humming a tune as steers through the passage. He's going to continue moving, but he hears a conversation overhead. He moves forward enough to watch the conversing party. Two women, one more fragile looking, the other quite a bit larger and with noticeable muscle. The muscular women put what appears to be a folded net down beside a crate, and then takes a seat. The other simply leans on the fencing that stood to prevent civilians from falling into the water. The stout woman was the first to speak.

"Workin' in the carving bay has been a nice change of pace. Honestly, couldn't ah' been happier. You're a real miracle, y'know that darlin'?" The smaller woman preened, chuckling at her. 

"I wouldn't be around if I wasn't, now would I? I know how to get around, I've been doing business here for years. I think I might just have a deal for you. I might need more... influential people to help the business run smoothly, if you catch my drift," she spoke in a soft voice, glancing around casually. The other sat up straighter, getting defensive in her posture. She was no longer smiling.

"The deal was that I pay you and we forget each other. I'm not willing to lose this job so soon after I've got it," she said, lowering her voice. "Kaelos still needs to lie low and this is all I can do for him. I'm not about to do your shady business and lose it all."

Kaelos. _Kaelos._ That name...

The smaller woman just shook her head, keeping her voice and smile soft. "Your brother will be fine. Besides, you're smart, and I like you. You won't get caught. After all, why do you think your brother hasn't been found yet?" She giggled and stopped leaning on the railing. Her next words were a whisper, barely heard over the commotion of people above. "The boy likes to get drunk at night. We have people watching him. Fairglow Inn is a safe place for him right now and can continue to be that way as long as you listen to my offer, dearest."

The rest of the conversation didn't mean all that much to Pyke. He was certain he'd heard the name somewhere. He just needed to see the man to confirm his suspicions. Now that he had a lead, the hunt was on.

He sank deeper into the water, absentmindedly following the current as he thought through his next course of action. He knew the Fairglow Inn was somewhere near the Slaughter Docks. Never a place he visited, as it had a shady reputation and he wasn't one to have his coins stolen. 

Kaelos. It was a unique name, and a few spellings came to mind. One stood out from all the rest though. This had to be him, he knew it. He could already see the blurry figure, just watching him from the safety of the boat. The water was cold, but the memories fed the burning fury inside of him. He could barely wait to see the man. He could already imagine him, falling over himself as he tried to run. The lady said he drank a lot, he'd probably be drunk. Unless he went after him during the day. It'd been a while since he was last able to watch someone bleed out, and he was much more impatient now than he was on his last hunt.

He wasn't about to walk up there, though. There'd be many pirates, and most of them were there to hunt monsters. He wasn't scared of them, not really, but he didn't want to deal with them right now. So, he let his thoughts wander and sank deeper into the water. He thought of kicking his previous crewmate's corpse into the water, watching the smaller sharks feast. He thought of swimming alongside the larger ones, circling below smaller boats as they were torn apart, watching. He thought of leviathans destroying large boats, the ones that safeguard shipwrecks and challenge any crew foolish enough to challenge their claim. 

He thought of captains ignoring legends, disrespecting the bearded lady, sailing without leaving a single coin for the sea. He thought of a metal titan emerging from the depths, tearing a ship apart in moments, holding a man in his grasp and forcing them to sink with him. Pyke slowed himself. He'd swam deep enough that the sound of the surface was entirely muted. All because of Nautilus, again. He grumbled to himself and swam up. It was still light outside, but he'd rather find the Inn now and return later than leave now and miss his target while he spent his time looking for a sign in the dark.

* * *

He'd always had a suspicion that something might be wrong with his mind after he died, but he felt certain of that when he heard a voice say his name. Not _his_ name, mind you, but Nautilus's. He stopped hard, looking up at the surface despite being unable to see anyone from the angle where he hovered. 

"That is who yer talkin' about, is it not? Nautilus, the Titan of the sea. You've heard the Legends, everyone has!"

Pyke froze. He had places to go, and he was had already told himself it wasn't something to dwell on. He should keep going. Although...

He wasn't sure when it would get dark. Part of the reason he'd decided to forget about Nautilus was from just how little he knew of the legend. You didn't pay the tithe? He would punish you. He'd seen it himself, it was simple. There wasn't much of a need to know anything else of the man.

He kept listening.

"He was a salvage diver, see? He'd go out and dive down, reclaiming lost goods from shipwrecks. One of the finest out there, I'd reckon. He and his crew brought hauls any sane man would envy. Riches from time lost to us, treasure long since lost to the gold-hungry leviathans that circled the wreckage. He was quite the legend of his time, even before what he became."

He could hear children giggling at that. Gasps of awe and excitement. He must've been further from the docks than he thought if there were children here.

"But what happened to him? Why is he so scary now?"

"His crew was worth a lot, so a captain had decided to buy their boat and give them new orders. He'd made a suit for Nautilus, something to let him go deeper than ever before. There was a wreck every other crew had avoided, shrouded in mist and bringing terror to all who'd dare come near." The man spoke in the way anyone would when telling a child a story, with greatly exaggerated wording and stage whispers.

"His suit would protect him, though, right? He was big and scary!" one of the children yelled out, a small chorus of agreements audible.

"Oh, but on the contrary. See, Nautilus made sure the tithe was paid every single time they had set sail, but the new captain refused. He believed it to be but an old wive's tale! So when Nautilus went down... He never came back up!" 

The children screeched and giggled, and Pyke lowered himself deeper into the water. Nautilus was a man who did a dangerous job. Who had been betrayed by a captain. Of course, this could be false. Legends always had a source, but that didn't mean everything about them was true. Nautilus may have never even been human, as far as he knew. The chance that the story was true though...

Pyke dove deeper into the water and swam off. He had other things to focus on. He could worry about that later. It'd been too long and he was restless.

* * *

It was much easier for him to find the Inn than he thought it would be, thank the Bearded Lady. He almost swam right past it, but he overheard two unsavory looking men talking about it as they had walked right into the establishment. The sun had begun to set, and he wouldn't have to wait long now. But Pyke was far more restless and bloodthirsty than he was before. There was an itch under his skin, and he wasn't going to wait any longer. 

Being the sort of phantom that he was, he faded to mist and moved. He was quick to get through the open doors, the men holding them looking pale and throwing their heads around like they'd seen a ghost. Past that, it was easy to make his way through the sparse crowd and move along the doors to the rooms. Which one, which one...

"Kaelos, I don't think you're safe here."

Oh, the sister was here. That was fast. Or maybe he'd taken longer to get here than he thought... It didn't matter. She could die too. Perhaps her first, she wasn't the one meant to suffer. It was easy enough to get through the door in his current state, and he let every ounce of bloodlust flow through him at the sight of the boy. 

He wasn't horribly young, but still younger than he thought he'd be. But he recognized that hair, the curve of the jaw, the broken-looking nose. The dark blue eyes, the shock in them in response to his sister identical to what he remembered seeing back on the Terror. Yes, he knew this man. He watched him drown, he was certain. He let himself take his form back without a second thought, both sets of eyes snapping to him. Kaelos immediately reaching a hand under his mattress to grab a cutlass, his sister pulling a pistol.

Only now did he realize he never got her name. She seemed far more respectable than her brother. She shouldn't die nameless. He turned to her, who was wide-eyed and pointing the pistol right at his head. She wasn't shaking, which was surprising.

"What is your name, lass?"

She seemed to understand what was happening now. Starting to shake, she pulled the trigger without a word. He simply repeated his trick, mist reforming closer to her, pinning her to the wall with a hand to her throat and the other pulling his weapon.

"What is your name?"

She spat in his face. He ran his weapon through her, holding it there as she screamed. Only then did her brother move, and Pyke threw her off his weapon to the floor. He parries with his now-bloodied harpoon, pushing the man with his shoulder and slashing a deep cut across his chest. He screams and gets back up, but Pyke refocuses on the girl. She's bleeding out, but only glares at him when he looks back down at her. Pity, he supposes he will never know. 

He sees Kaelos prepare to strike out of the corner of his eye, and dashes straight through him. He yells in shock and drops his weapon, scrambling to pick it back up. Pyke reels his harpoon back. Kaelos looks behind him and screams, and Pyke revels in the sound of it fading into choked noises. He crouches over the body. 

"Shhh... sleep..."

The man tries to get up once more, but he barely has the strength to move at all. The moment he puts weight on his hand to get up, he slips on his own blood and whines. Pyke hears the sound of steps coming up to the door, but Pyke is unconcerned. To ensure death. he strikes his harpoon straight through the man's chest and fades away, breaking a window and allowing himself to reform once he's outside.

He finds the name 'Kaelos' and strikes it off in bright red ink. He doesn't question why there is no last name. He simply rolls the scroll back up and swims back into the water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This got much more attention than I thought it would considering the rare pairing! Thank you for the comments and kudos :)  
> I'll try to upload on a more frequent pattern, hopefully once a week. If I can't keep up with that, it will be every other week.


End file.
